Method of improving certain catalysts



United States Patent O Filed 1 o 17, 1958, Ser. No. 77 3,1151

((Cl. 26ii94.1)

The invention in this case relat s to an improved method of polymer'ming acetylenes in the presence of a nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalyst. More particularly, the invention lies in treating the nickel-curbonyl-phosphine catalyst with a non-reactive acetylene prior to the actual polymerization.

it has been found that reactions such as those disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 774,152, filed concurrently herewith, now US. Patent No. 2,961,- 330, issued November 22, 1960, may be carried out at much lower temperatures if the nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalyst is first treated with an acetylene which is non-reactive under the conditions employed in the polymerization, that is, an acetylene which cannot be made to polymerize in solution, either alone or in the presence of such catalyst. This group of acetylenes may be represented by the general formulas wherein R and R are members of the class consisting of alltyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, hydrox -substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and diaminoalkyl groups, X represents at least one member of the class consisting of RC=CH, CZZ=CR, -CEC-; Y represents at least one member of the class consisting of CH=CHR, -CR=CH and CECR; and n represents a number from O100. in most cases, treating the catalysts merely entafls heating a mixture of the non-reactive acetylene and the catalyst in a solvent such as benzene, cyclohexane or acetonitrile prior to the actual polymerization. Not only may these preconditioned catalyst systems be used to polymerize acetylenes into linear polymers, but they also may be used to polymerize acetylenes to aromatic polymers such as those disclosed in the prior art [see Kleinschrnidt, US. Patent No. 2,542,417; Rose et al., J. Chem. Soc, 69 (195 3), and Reppe et al., Annalen, 560, 104 (1948)]. in all known acetylene polymerization reactions, including both the linear and the aromatic polymerizations, the temp rature has had to be raised above room temperature ber" c any reaction was noted. Prior art uses of these nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalysts suggests that these preconditioned catalysts may be used for polymerizations other than acetylene poiymerizations; for example Reppe et al (see above) discloses catalytic polymerization of olefins wi h nickel-phosphine-halide and nickel carbonylphosphine catalyst. However, these polymerizations were carried out under superatmospheric pressures and high temperatures in an autoclave.

it was quite unexpected that these nickel-carbonylphosphine catalysts should become more catalytically active when they are heated with a non-reactive acetylene as described briefly above and more fully hereinafter, since no reason for this phenomena is apparent and nowhere in the prior art is such treatment of the catalyst suggested. Furthermore, the fact that these disubstituted acetylenes have proved to be unreactive should lead one away from their use; therefore, adding them directly to the catalyst-solvent mixture is a very unobvious improvement to prior polymerizations of acetylenes. The fact that these polymerizations may be carried out at much lower temperatures makes it possible to carry out polymice erizations on unstable or highly reactive acetylenes at low temperatures where cleaner reactions are possible. It also makes it possible to polymerize some acetylenes which heretofore have been almost unreactive.

It is an advantage of the present invention that nonreactive acetylenes constitute a class that covers a large variety of acetylenes which can be used in treating the catalysts, thus providing a source which is extensive and easily attained. Examples of specific acetylenes which may be used are dimethylacetylene through dioctadecylacetylene, l-phenylpropyne-l, dibenzylacetylene, benzylmethylacetylene, ditolylacetylene, dicyclohexylacetylene, cyclohexylphenylacetylene, tolylmefnylacetylene, tolylphenylacetylene, benzylphenylacetylene, benzyltolylacetylene, and l-phenyl-l-propyne-3-ol. contemplated further are all variations of the above substituent groups. Of course, the commercially available disubstituted acetylenes such as the 2-, 3- and 4-octynes, S-decyne, diphenylacetylene, 3,5-dimethyl-3-hexyne-2,5-diol, 3,6-dimethyl-4-octyne-3,6-diol, Z-butyne-l-ol, 3-octyne-l-ol, and diethylacetylene are most desirable.

In addition to these disubstituted acetylenes, the linear polymer products of the reaction itself are also opera tive as preconditioning non-reactive acetylenes, as are other linear polymers which are disubstituted acetylenes. These linear polymer products, which are described more fully in copending application Serial No. 774,152, are specifically all of the dimers through the decamers and higher of monomethyl through monooctadecyl acetylene, cyclopropyl through cycloheptyl, etc., are operative. Polyacetylene compounds, such as 2,7-dimethy1 3,5- octadiyne-2,7-diol, may be used. From the investigation of these non-reactive acetylenes it has been shown that the scope of the above examples is sufficient y broad to include substantially all disubstituted acetylenes.

in general, the reaction of the invention takes place similarly to those described in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 774,152, and in the prior art, depending on the particular reactant employed, the products desired, and other influencing factors. The improvement is simple and straightforward and merely entails adding a relatively small amount of a non-reactive acetylene in the range of one part of non-reactive acetylene to 300 parts of a solution of the nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalyst in the solvent medium, and refluxing the solution.

Another interesting feature of this treatment of the nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalyst is that if this treatment is extended for such a period, which would normally eX- haust the nickel-carbonyl-catalyst solutions effectiveness, the catalytic qualities of the complex are preserved. In other words, the herein-disclosed treatment of a nickelcarbonyl-phosphine catalyst with a non-reactive acetylene may be considered to preserve the catalyst.

The non-reactive acetylenes which are disclosed above and represented by Formulas I and 11 do not react to form linear or aromatic polymers. However, the scope of this invention is not intended to be limited thereby, since many other acetylene derivatives which are also nonreactive, as defined above, may be considered to be effective in preconditioning the catalyst.

The nickel-carbonyl-phosphine catalysts which are to be included in this invention may be represented by the general formulas wherein n is a whole number from 1 to 2 inclusive, R, R and R are members of the class consisting of alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, and cyanoalkyl groups and X is a mem- 3 her of the class consisting of ethylene, trimethylene and ortho phenylene groups. Examples of such catalysts which are more fully disclosed in the above cited references to l leinschrnidt, Rose et al., and Reppe et al. and

4 I claim: 1. A process for producing a catalyst comprising eat reacting a nickel-earl:onyl-phosphine complex with an unpolymerizable disuhstitnted acetylene to produce a nickelalso those catalysts described and claimed in copending 5 phosphine unpolyn eiizable acetylene complex. application of Meriwether, Serial No. 774,l50, filed con- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the unpolymerizable currently herewith, now US. Patent No. 3,062,573, are acetylene is 2,S-dimethyl-S-hexyne2,5-diol.

nickel diand tricaroonyl complexes with triphenylphos- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the unpolymerizable phine, phenylcliethyl and ethyldiphenylphosphine, tris-, acetylene is diphenyl acetylene.

bisand mono-(2-cyanoeth l)phosphine, triethyl through 4. The method or claim 1 wherein the unpolymerlzable trioctylphosphine and triethylthrough trioctyland triacetylene is diethyl acetylene.

phenylphosphite. Further examples are the nickel car- 5. The method or" claim 1 wherein the unpolymerizable bonyl complexes of the following bidentate ligands, suc acetylene 18 the linear trimer of pentyne.

as tetrakis-(Z-cyanoethyl) ethylene diphosphine and tetra- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the unpolymenzable ethylethylenediphosphine. Moreover, tetrakis(2-cyano- 1 acetylene is 2,7-oirnethyl-3,S-octadiyne-ZJ-drol.

ethyl) trin'lethylenedipllosphine is also operative, as well An improved method of polymerizing a polymerizas are other bidentate diphosphines. able acetylene which comprises rei'luxing dicarbonyl-bls- The following example is typical of the result of the [tri -(2-Cyanoethyl)ph0sphine]nickel represented by the preconditionin of the catalyst by a non-reactive acetylene (C9)gl (H -CH CN) l wi h 2,5-dimethyl- -hexynewhereby polymerization took place spontaneously at room 20 5- 1 in benzene and subsequently adding h P y temperature; whereas, without preconditioning the cata izable acetylene to be polymerized wherein said polymerlyst, no polymerization had occurred after several days. izable acetylene has at least n hy r g n a om a a EVAMPLL. to an acetylenic carbon atom in the molecule of said A eolymerizable acetylene.

A solution 0.58 mol in 2,5-dimethyl-3-hexyne-2,5-diol 8. A process for polymerizing a polymerizahle acetyand 0.0059 mol in Ni(C()) [P(C i-I in benzene was lene comprising contacting said polymerizable acetylene in refluxed under CS for 2.5 hours and then cooled to 23 solution with a nicltel-phosphine unpolymerizable disob- C. Ethyl propiolate (3.5 ml.) was added, causing a stituted acetylene complex, wherein said polymerizable C. exotherm. Seventy-rive percent or" the propiolate had acetylene has at least one hydrogen atom attached to m trimerized in three minutes. V-f'nen ethyl propiolate was 3() acetylenic carbon atom in the molecule of said polymeradded to a benzene solution of the above catalyst alone at izable acetylene.

3 C. no trirnerization of propiolate had occurred 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the acetylene being aft 1' several days. polymerized is a mono-substituted acetylene selected from The following table sets forth :11 re examples which the class consisting of allryl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, and more clearly manifest the scope of the invention. 35 hydroxy-substituted alkyl acetylene.

Molar Molar Pre- Molar Te1upcra Concen- Ooncentreat- Reactive Concenture of Infrared, Non-Reactive tration Catalyst tration Solvent mont Time, Acetylene tratlon Polynler- Percent Acetylene of Nonof Temp., hrs. Added of Added lzation, Reaction Reactive Catalyst C. Acetylene Acetylene Diphenylacetylene 0.6 Dicarbonylbi-s-{trisQ- .006 Acetonitrile 80 1% Heptyne-1 0. 06 25 cyanoethylphos phiue)]niclrel. D0 0.6 (l0 .006 ---do so 1% Ethyl 0. s0 25 70 Priopolate.

Do 0. 03 .015 do s0 2 d0 1.0 25 100 2,7Dimethyl-3,5- 0.6 .005 do so 2 do 0.6 25 25 octadiyne-2,7-diol. I

Dipheny1acetylene 0.6 Dicarbonyltctralris- .006 clo 2 Heptyne-L- 0.60 40 30 (2-eyanoethyl) dlphosphineniclzel.

Diethylaectylene 0.6 Dicarbonylbis- .006 Cyclohexane-. S0 2 Ethyl 0.00 25 (triphcnylphos- Proplolatc phine)nicl;cl.

Pentyne Trimer 0.6 do .000 (10 80 2 do 0.60 25 100 The above examples are not intended to limit the scope 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the catalyst is seof the invention but are presented as an aid 50 that the lected from the class consist ng Of compounds represented 2 b h w 1 I 1 N co RRP" d invention may be more eas ly understood and pericrmed. Y l smera iQImL as )4n( 1 )a all Acetylenes which, in addi.. n to those used 111 the above )2( PXPRR wh rein R, R and R are memc n examples, can be used as starting monomers for polymenbars 1 Class conslstmg of alkyl: aryl, Y Y: and zation with preconditioned catalysts include almost all cyanovthy groups mono-substituted acetylenes. In addition to the acetylenes 69 References Qitetl in the file of this patent I "L Q I w m r M uiedhin th; piilor art such a; acet ylen; itself, groipargyl UNITED SiATES PAFEN is v a co 0 en cet ene -metn u ne-a -0 ISO- a P j g y j y 2,2/4,988 Matuszak Mar. 3, 1942 plopenyl monoacetylene, me, other ace.yrenes such as dis- A T 2,542, .17 Klemschmidt Feb. 29, 1951 closed in copendmg application Serial l\o. 774,152 which includes mono-methyl through mono-octadecyl, mono- G5 OihiiR REEERENCES cyclopropyl through mono-cycloheptyl and mono-dialkylaminoalkyl acetylenes are found to polymerize.

Reppe et al.: Annalen (Liebig), vol. 560 (1948), pp. 104-116 (13 pages).

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, $117,952 January 14L 1964 Lewis S Meriwether It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1 lines 25 and 5'4 for "catalyst'fl each occurrence read catalysts columns 3 and 4 in the table under the heading "Molar Concentration of Added Acetylene" first entry thereof for "0006" read 060 column 4 line 55 for "Ni(CO) gRR RP) read Signed and sealed this 9th day of June 1964,

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W; SWIDER Attesting Officer 

1. A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A CATALYST COMPRISING HEAT REACTING A NICKEL-CARBONYL-PHOSPHINE COMPLEX WITH AN UNPOLYMERIZABLE DISUBSTITUTED ACETYLENE TO PRODUCE A NICKELPHOSPHINE UNPOLYMERIZABLE ACETYLENE COMPLEX.
 7. AN IMPROVEMENT METHOD OF POLYMERIZING A POLYMERIZABLE ACETYLENE WHICH COMPRISES REFLUXING DICARBONYL-BIS(TRIS-(2-CYANOETHYL) PHOSPHINE) NICKEL REPRESENTED BY THE NI(CO)2(P(CH2CH2CN)3)2 WITH 2,5-DIMETHYL-3-HEXYNE2,5-DIOL IN BENZENE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ADDING THE POLYMERIZABLE ACETYLENE TO BE POLYMERIZED WHEREIN SAID POLYMERIZABLE ACETYLENE HAS AT LEAST ONE HYDROGEN ATOM ATTACHED TO AN ACETYLENIC CARBON ATOM IN THE MOLECULE OF SAID POLYMERIZABLE ACETYLENE. 